Cydia

Security experts are said to conduct a government-sponsored test of the latest anti-theft security features built into Apple’s iPhone 5 and Samsung’s Galaxy S4. The test is to include the forthcoming Activation Lock feature that will be introduced via Apple’s upcoming iOS 7. According to a report from CNET, San Francisco District Attorney George Gascón and New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman have contracted experts from the Northern California Regional Intelligence Center to try and get past Apple and Samsung’s security systems.

Both Schneiderman and Gascón said the following in a prepared statement:

While we are appreciative of the efforts made by Apple and Samsung to improve security of the devices they sell, we are not going to take them at their word. Today we will assess the solutions they are proposing and see if they stand up to the tactics commonly employed by thieves.

The experiment was announced as part of Schneiderman and Gascón’s Secure Our Smartphone (S.O.S.) initiative that looks to protect smartphone owners from violent theft and thievery, which they refer to as “Apple picking.” The test is supposedly set up to mimic real world scenarios in which a stolen device is deactivated prior to resale on the black market. Apple’s Activation Lock, which will be baked into the upcoming iOS 7, the original Apple ID and password used to activate the device are needed to turn off Find My iPhone, wipe the phone’s data, or re-activate it after being deactivated.

For those of you who didn’t know, both Schneiderman and Gascón were optimistic about Apple’s anti-theft initiative but cautioned that they “reserve judgment on the activation lock feature until we can understand its actual functionality.” Thursday’s test an effort toward gleaning that information, with the two officials said:

Finding technical solutions that will remove the economic value of stolen smartphones is critical to ending the national epidemic of violent street crimes commonly known as 'Apple Picking.'

So stupid how people think it's the manufacturers job to prevent theft. If you're stupid enough to get your phone stolen then oh well. Either tighten up and stop leaving your phone laying around or if you're too lazy then go get a TracPhone that no one will wanna steal.

So stupid how people think it's the manufacturers job to prevent theft. If you're stupid enough to get your phone stolen then oh well. Either tighten up and stop leaving your phone laying around or if you're too lazy then go get a TracPhone that no one will wanna steal.

There are different scenarios about the way you can lose your iPhone or get stolen, not just because somebody left his iPohne laying around.

I wonder how this security feature will affect the 2nd hand market of iDevices. I was looking forward to sell my iPhone 4S and go for the iPhone 5S/6 this year if the specs are good. I can't just hand over my apple ID details to the buyer....

Cool how about you elaborate then. I can't think of anytime during the day when anyone other than myself would have access to my phone. So I can't wait to hear this B.S.

In CT and NY people would be walking on the streets talking on their phones, or at a restaurant in the outside eating area with their phones on the table in front of them..Thieves on bikes would ride by and snatch the phones right out of their hands to just snatch it off the table it made national news...Don't know what world you live in buddy but leaving your phone isn't the only way it gets stolen...

^^While I agree with some of your statement, you need to keep in mind thieves stalk and case people with expensive smartphones. People have been held at knife/gun point over a cell phone. Its not just those that are careless..it affects all. They still make TracPhones?? haha!

So stupid how people think it's the manufacturers job to prevent theft. If you're stupid enough to get your phone stolen then oh well. Either tighten up and stop leaving your phone laying around or if you're too lazy then go get a TracPhone that no one will wanna steal.

I guess its stupid your car comes with locks and your house comes with doors.

Cool how about you elaborate then. I can't think of anytime during the day when anyone other than myself would have access to my phone. So I can't wait to hear this B.S.

I managed a nightclub for years and have had to deal with plenty of cases of stolen smartphones! Nightclubs in towns are targeted by groups / gangs of smartphones thieves who spend years perfecting their pick-pocketing skills etc. They would often spend an hour or so canvassing the inside, taken "line of sight" guard, and then often have 1 or 2 people intentionally invoke an altercation, whilst another memeber of the group pick pocket & swipe phones during the heated arguments of the altercation. The groups were well organized, and very hard to catch in the act as they would hit once a month for example, find cctv blackspots, or just use different team members each time... They would often hit 4 clubs in one night, taking an average of 15 - 20 phones PER CLUB, with many people unaware that it has happened. 90% of phones stolen were from ladies handbags, with only 50% being drunk. Even the sober ladies managed to get their phones stolen. We did manage, with police help to apprehend one entire group at one point... but as many know, you take down one group and make way for another to step right in.

So I think it *is* an important step.

When we did successfully recover phones, it became apparent that the 1st steps were to a) turn off wifi, b) turn off 3G. c) turn off "find my iphone" ... *IF* the device had a passcode lock, these handsets were often simply turned off ... I assume until they could just restore the iOS.

I wonder how this security feature will affect the 2nd hand market of iDevices. I was looking forward to sell my iPhone 4S and go for the iPhone 5S/6 this year if the specs are good. I can't just hand over my apple ID details to the buyer....

You dont provide your details to the buyer when selling your iPhone. When you buy a new iPhone you log in with your Apple id and password. Just make sure when you sell your old iPhone to log out and turn off "find my iPhone" and wipe and reload/reset your phone and sell it. The new user/buyer will then log in with his Apple id and password.

I wonder how this security feature will affect the 2nd hand market of iDevices. I was looking forward to sell my iPhone 4S and go for the iPhone 5S/6 this year if the specs are good. I can't just hand over my apple ID details to the buyer....

SnapIt = Seriously misunderstood individual.....N O T, more like someone who is negative about everything and can do no wrong...JMHP

I just tell it like it is. Can't help it if lames can't handle reality.

Originally Posted by bigboyz

^^While I agree with some of your statement, you need to keep in mind thieves stalk and case people with expensive smartphones. People have been held at knife/gun point over a cell phone. Its not just those that are careless..it affects all. They still make TracPhones?? haha!

Yeah you got me there, I don't live in a $hitty state so that's not my problem. In all seriousness though, if you live somewhere that's $hitty enough where people are getting robbed at gun point for their cell phone, and you continue to choose to live there, well then once again this just goes back to being a dumb person.

Originally Posted by Scotty Manley Silberhorn

Gun robberies. People have actually died during a cell phone theft. I don’t have proof but I read it a year or so ago.

Same statement above applies here too.

Originally Posted by hitman10

I guess its stupid your car comes with locks and your house comes with doors.

Oh cool now were comparing items that cost thousands and thousands of dollars to a hundreds of dollars cell phone. I guess they should start putting alarms on candy bars too so that way if you leave your candy bar sitting around no one can steal it. Sounds reasonable.

Originally Posted by jtanner

I managed a nightclub for years and have had to deal with plenty of cases of stolen smartphones! Nightclubs in towns are targeted by groups / gangs of smartphones thieves who spend years perfecting their pick-pocketing skills etc. They would often spend an hour or so canvassing the inside, taken "line of sight" guard, and then often have 1 or 2 people intentionally invoke an altercation, whilst another memeber of the group pick pocket & swipe phones during the heated arguments of the altercation. The groups were well organized, and very hard to catch in the act as they would hit once a month for example, find cctv blackspots, or just use different team members each time... They would often hit 4 clubs in one night, taking an average of 15 - 20 phones PER CLUB, with many people unaware that it has happened. 90% of phones stolen were from ladies handbags, with only 50% being drunk. Even the sober ladies managed to get their phones stolen. We did manage, with police help to apprehend one entire group at one point... but as many know, you take down one group and make way for another to step right in.

So I think it *is* an important step.

When we did successfully recover phones, it became apparent that the 1st steps were to a) turn off wifi, b) turn off 3G. c) turn off "find my iphone" ... *IF* the device had a passcode lock, these handsets were often simply turned off ... I assume until they could just restore the iOS.

I live in Vegas and I see plenty of this kinda thing going on all the time. "DUMB TOURISTS" who get too drunk and don't know how to handle themselves and can't keep track of their stuff. So once again this comes back to "DUMB PEOPLE" who can't take care of themselves and wanna rely on smartphone manufacturers to protect their device because using common sense is just too much for them.

Originally Posted by javiert30

Need some more?

I didn't see you give any examples? Couldn't think of anything yourself so you had to hang back and see if anyone else suggested anything. Proves my point on what kinda person you are. Of course you would support a topic on something that helps "wipe your a.ss" in life, common sense don't apply to you. Seeing as how you live in New Orleans though I suppose this should just be expected

I wonder how this security feature will affect the 2nd hand market of iDevices. I was looking forward to sell my iPhone 4S and go for the iPhone 5S/6 this year if the specs are good. I can't just hand over my apple ID details to the buyer....

Remove the device from your Apple ID history.... is my guess...

Originally Posted by SnapIt

I just tell it like it is. Can't help it if lames can't handle reality.

Yeah you got me there, I don't live in a $hitty state so that's not my problem. In all seriousness though, if you live somewhere that's $hitty enough where people are getting robbed at gun point for their cell phone, and you continue to choose to live there, well then once again this just goes back to being a dumb person.

Same statement above applies here too.

Oh cool now were comparing items that cost thousands and thousands of dollars to a hundreds of dollars cell phone. I guess they should start putting alarms on candy bars too so that way if you leave your candy bar sitting around no one can steal it. Sounds reasonable.

I live in Vegas and I see plenty of this kinda thing going on all the time. "DUMB TOURISTS" who get too drunk and don't know how to handle themselves and can't keep track of their stuff. So once again this comes back to "DUMB PEOPLE" who can't take care of themselves and wanna rely on smartphone manufacturers to protect their device because using common sense is just too much for them.

I didn't see you give any examples? Couldn't think of anything yourself so you had to hang back and see if anyone else suggested anything. Proves my point on what kinda person you are. Of course you would support a topic on something that helps "wipe your a.ss" in life, common sense don't apply to you. Seeing as how you live in New Orleans though I suppose this should just be expected

You are a very sad individual.... just because you live in Vegas doesn't mean bad things don't happen.. and your comment on you don't live in a $hitty state.. is not a valid point... bad things happen everywhere... last time I checked you guys do have a police department ... and I'm sure your taxes or your mommy and daddy's taxes do pay their wages... so if you don't need them... you should go demand your money back because you obviously live in the most perfect place in this world.. Las Vegas...

Stop being ignorant... the world doesn't just revolve around the United States... iPhones are sold around the world...

this is just a straight up ignorant response from an ignorant American..

I just tell it like it is. Can't help it if lames can't handle reality.

Yeah you got me there, I don't live in a $hitty state so that's not my problem. In all seriousness though, if you live somewhere that's $hitty enough where people are getting robbed at gun point for their cell phone, and you continue to choose to live there, well then once again this just goes back to being a dumb person.

Same statement above applies here too.

Oh cool now were comparing items that cost thousands and thousands of dollars to a hundreds of dollars cell phone. I guess they should start putting alarms on candy bars too so that way if you leave your candy bar sitting around no one can steal it. Sounds reasonable.

I live in Vegas and I see plenty of this kinda thing going on all the time. "DUMB TOURISTS" who get too drunk and don't know how to handle themselves and can't keep track of their stuff. So once again this comes back to "DUMB PEOPLE" who can't take care of themselves and wanna rely on smartphone manufacturers to protect their device because using common sense is just too much for them.

I didn't see you give any examples? Couldn't think of anything yourself so you had to hang back and see if anyone else suggested anything. Proves my point on what kinda person you are. Of course you would support a topic on something that helps "wipe your a.ss" in life, common sense don't apply to you. Seeing as how you live in New Orleans though I suppose this should just be expected